Mariner project back in ZBA's hands

Friday

Potential Mariner neighbors had a right to be concerned when they showed up at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting last month seeking a promise of support from the board.

The Land Court has sent the Mariner appeal back to the Zoning Board of Appeals for reconsideration and a public hearing will be held Monday, Nov. 6 at the Veterans Middle School at 7 p.m.

The application up for reconsideration is for an 82,182 square-foot assisted living facility proposed for the old Killam Estate at 263-268 Pleasant St. Developers Phillip Helmes, Michael Lafayette and Heather Cairns first proposed the plan in 2015.

After seven months of highly attended, lengthy public hearings, the ZBA voted to deny the special permit needed for the project, citing the 87-unit facility would have an adverse effect on the neighborhood. The decision, which was filed with Town Clerk Robin Michaud in May, also stated the development’s architectural and design features were incompatible with the existing neighborhood, one of a handful of criteria developers must meet as outlined in the bylaw governing assisted-living facility projects.

In June, the developers filed an appeal in Land Court. The case was set to be heard in September, but was pushed off to November, which prompted the neighbors into action. Signs reading “No Mariner Project” and “Single Residence Only” went up.

At the selectmen’s meeting, Hannah Stallman, who lives across the street from the Killam Estate, said neighbors had heard a rumor there was an effort to keep the appeal from going to court and she was worried.

The neighbors were adamant the Mariner appeal be heard in court. Mohawk Road resident Philip Mancuso told selectmen residents wanted the case to go to court and they wanted Judge Michael Vhay to “do his due diligence.” For the moment, however, the fate of the Mariner is once again in the hands of the ZBA.